Allerton fatal injury: man had been stabbed

A man found dead at flats in Bradford had died from a single stab wound to his chest, an inquest heard yesterday.

Police had been called to reports of a disturbance at a flat at Rosemary Gardens, Allerton, in the early hours of January 18, and found Scott Dunne, 41, had been fatally wounded.

Temporary Detective Sergeant Max Jowett told the hearing in Bradford police got the call at 12.30am and the first officers on the scene found Mr Dunne in the back bedroom of the property with a stab wound to his chest.

Paramedics declared him dead at 1.08am and his partner, 35-year-old Alexia Heckles, was arrested at the scene.

Initially it had been on suspicion of attempted murder but it was changed to murder after he was pronounced dead, said Temp Det Sgt Jowett.

An investigation room was set up and investigations got under way including a forensic post-mortem examination being carried out which confirmed the cause of death had been a single stab wound to the chest.

The next day Heckles, of Rosemary Gardens, was charged with murder and appeared at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court where she was remanded into custody.

A second post-mortem for defence purposes was also held, the inquest was told.

Heckles who has since appeared in front of the Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC at the city’s crown court will be in court again on April 2 for a case management hearing, when she will enter a plea to the allegation.

The trial is likely to last seven days with a number of witnesses including neighbours.

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Full investigations and further tests are still to be taken and reported back on, said Assistant Bradford Coroner Mary Burke, who adjourned the inquest pending the completion of the criminal proceedings.

Mr Dunne’s body, which had been identified by his brother Kim Ramsden, has now been released to his family for cremation.

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